Hood latch



Patented May 8, 1928.

` UNITEDfsTATus N 1,669,034 PArEN'rfol-"Flca miLvIN e. BAKER, or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, AssIGNOR rro CHICAGO roReNG a MANU- FAGTURING coMrANY, or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ,n yconronA'rION or ILLINOIS.

K `HOOD LATCH.

application ined Vaugust 15, 1927. seri'aiNo. 212,579.

. My invention relates to a latching device,y and particularly to a device intended for use as an` automobile hood latch. One object of the invention is to provide a hood latch which, while serving to hold the hood down and closed, will also torce the hood inwardly against its abutment, andl will thus hold it against rattling. Another obJectgisa pro visionof `a latch, of the type above men-V tioned, which shall be cheap Vandeasy to manufacture and simple and dura-ble in construction. Other objects will appear from time to time in the course ot'v the specification and claims. y I illustrate my invention more -or less diagramma-tically yin drawings, wherein Figure l is a vertical section through any automobile hood, showing ymy hood latch in locking position;

Figure 2 is a plan View of the hood latch; y

Figure 3 is a side elevation ofthe upper portion of the hood latch;

Figure 4 is an elevation of the hood latch ot Fig'. 3 from another side;

Figure 5 Fig. 3; y

Figure 6 is a section on the line 6-6 of Fig. 3;

Figure 7 Fig. 3;

Figure 8 isa top viewpot the end of the tube of `which' the hood Y latch body is formed; Y

Figure 9 is a vertical section through a variant form ot hood latch;

Figure 10 is asection-on the line 10'1O of Fig. 9; L

Figure ll is a section on thev line ll-ll of Fig'.L 9; i if.

Figure l2 is a section along the line i2-1a0f Fig. 9; Y

Figure 13 is a side-view and Figure 14a front View of the upper portion off-the tube shown in Fig.y 9;and Y Figure' 15 is a lhorizontal section correspondingto the horizontal section of Fig. 7 of the firsty form.

Like parts are indicated by' like symbols throughout the specification and drawings.

A is a portion of an automobile trame, to vwhich may be secured an upstanding rib or abutment member A1, against which abuts the lower edge B1 of the hoodfB whenthe hood is closed. Fastened` to the hood B is a is a section on the line 't3-5 ot is a'seetion von the line 2f-7` of the accompanying' `tianges F1, El..

member generally designated as B2, which includes a downwardly and outwardly inclined cam portiony B3, upwardly and outwardly inclined prongsB separated, tor- .example, by the notch B5, a central portion B"i which is secured tothe hoodB, anda downwardly and inwardly turned :bottom portion B7. 1BS are any "suitable securing members.y i Q f i C is any suitable shaft yOrpin terminating at the `bottom in thesquare beveled head C1. C2 generally indicates ak base member havinga frame engaging securing portion C, through whichmay pass any suitable securingimeinber C4, andthe intermediate raised portion formed by the upwardly and -inwardly inclined top portion C5 and the generally vertical side walls C6. C7 is'a' concave, generally spherical,-flange surround# ing the aperture C, through which passes the pin C. f

The latch body proper consists of the rcylindrical member D, herein shown as rolled from a. single blank and with the single axial seam'Dl. About the bottom of the cylinder is an inwardly turned flange D2, adaptedv to engage and secure the washer Dl 'which is f` loose on the shaft C. D* `is a washer secured to the end ot 'the pin C, and D5 indicates a coiled spring compressed between the washers D? and D3. The tendency of such spring is, therefore, to draw the cylinder D downwardly along the stein C.

The cylindrical member D or seamed tube D has formed at its upper end, as shown in F ig. 8; the outwardly extending lips or These may lie in a single plane, orthey may be slightly curved or arcuate inJcross-section, as ywill ,be clear `from .Figs 3, 4 andro. generally indicates a handle member havingiafinger-engaging portion E8 projecting from one sider and a T-lug E4, with a cross-bar F15, extending from' the other;V The intermediate portion E"y has projectingV from its sides ears or Vanges E7, which are bent about-the upper yend of the cylinder D, as shown iirFigs. 3, 4 and 5, they being" crimped or pressed inwardly beneath the outwardly extending flanges E and F11, which may be alignedrespectiv'ely with the 'lf-lugY E4 and the finger piece E3. Vhen the handle member is so crimped or bent ory stamped about the upper end of the tube, no soldering, welding vor other securing is necessary, although if de sired Welding may be employed as additional securing means.

G generally indicates a nose or flange member adapted to be opposed to` the cam B3. It is herein shown, as in Fig.V 7, as formed of lugs projecting from the edges of the blank of which the tube D is formed. In Fig. 7 are indicated the parallel or opposed portions G1, secured, for example, vby the rivet Gr, and the latterly extending flanges G3, Which are outwardlyv bent to form an QX- tend-ed andarcuate surface in opposition to the arcuate surface of the cam B3. Whereas I have illustrated a rivet as a securing means, obviously any other securingmeans at this point may 4be employed, and under some circumstances securing means at this point may be omitted. 'f l Referring to the form of Figs. 9 and following, the tube H, corresponding to the tube Gr of Fig. A1has a pair of opposed, outwardly extending lugs -II1, which maypextend from the opposedy edges of the blank Where they are brought together at the seam. nrt the opposite side of the tube is an apen ture IP, herein shown as rectangular. The handle member IIS- is formed with downwardly depending flanges I-I", H5, which are bent to conform to the upper end of the tube, as shown in the drawings. Il, Hl are ears on said flanges, which are bent inwardly into the aperture H2, as shown in Figs. 11 and 12. H7 is an ear on the liange H5 interlocking With the ear I-IS on the Iiange I-Ii. Referring to Figs. 9 and 10, it Will be observed that the ear H7 penetrates beneath the outwardly projecting lugs I'Il. f Thus the handle is locked positively in position by the lugs H1 at one side, and by the penetration of the ears IIG into the aperture H2 at the other.

Y Figure l5 illustrates amoditication of the lug nose of IFig. '7, it being understood that in actual use the form of Fig. I5 may be used in conjunction with either form of handle or tube. The lug nose of Fig. l5 is formed by `a flange r.K outwardly projecting alongl the seam and yupturned at its end, as at K1. From the opposite side of the tube blank a flange K2 extends along and conforms 'to the form of the flange K3. It is turned in the opposite direction at the outer end of the liange K, as at K3, and is then recurved as at K4, and finally-lapped, as at K5, about the end of the portion K1 of the tlangeK. When this form of lug nose is employed, no positive locking or securing of the flanges K and K2 together is necessary.

It will be realized that Whereas I have described and shown a ypractical and operative device, nevertheless many changes might be made in size, shape, number and disposition of .parts Wit-hout departing from the spirit of my invention. I therefore Wish my description and drawings to be ta-ken as in a broad sense illustrativev and diagrammatic, rather than as` .limiting me to the specic showing herein made.

The use and operation of my invention are as follows: v

In the manufacture 'of a hood latch of the type herein described and shown, it is extremely important to produce an article .vhicli is strong and durable and which, at the same time, consists of a minimum number of parts and which is cheap to manufacture. The hood latch herein described meetsthese requirements. Thel latch body D is a. ,one-piece, single-seamed tube. The securing means at the bottom lof the tube for holding the spring abutment D3 in place are formed integrally 'from the tube. The cam nose G, opposed to the cam surface B3, is formed from the same blank, being iuftegral with ithe tube. I may employ the transverse p in or rivet G?, as shown in Fig. 7, or I may even avoid the necessity of any additional securing member at that point by lapping the metal as shown in Fig l5.

The handle portion or endk member isa single piece, which includes the T E IE5, the handle E3, the central portion E, Iand the ears or flanges E? which fasten the assembly together and have the additional function of keeping .the seamed tube from splitting or spreading. The device is peculiarly easy to make, and in assembling the body D with the Vend member E is placed in a disk and a second 'die is brought down .from .above to press the end member into final position, While transversely operated dies may close the cylindrical portion ofthe end member, formed by the ianges El, tightly lagainsft the .latchbody D, thus securing and attaching the end member to the body and strengthening the latch-body itself. w

I do not Wish to be limited to any y,specific lshapiing of the blanks employed, and it will be obvious from Figs. l() and following that a number of variations may be used.

I claim:

l. In a hood latch, a tubular body, transverse lips aftone end thereof, and an `end member surrounding the upper end of said body and clinched beneath said lips.

2. In a hood latch, a tubular body, an end closure member therefor secured there to and surrounding the upper end thereof, and handle portion associated with said end closure member.

3. In a hood latch, a tubular body, an end closure member therefor secured thereto and surrounding the upper end thereof, and inter-penetrating parts 'associated Vwith said ytubular body and said end member, adapted to prevent relative movement thereof. Y p p 4. In a hood latch, a tubular singleseamed latch body formed from sheet metal and a hood engaging member integral 4therewith and projecting laterally therefrom,

surface.

saidvmember being formed along the seam of said body.

5. In a hood latch, a latch body comprising a one-piece longitudinally seamed tubel and a cam member extending from the side ol said tube, said cam member including a lug bent from the edge of the tube.`

6. In a hood latch, a latch body comprising a onge-piece longitudinally seamed tube and acam member extending from the side of said tube, said cam member Comprising a pair of opposed lugs outwardly extending from the opposed edges of the tube. c

`7. In a hoodlatch, a latch body-comprising a one-piece longitudinally seamed tube and a cam member extending from the side of said tube, said cam member comprising a pair oi' opposed lugs outwardly extending from the opposed edges of the tube, the outer edges of said lugs being bent to form a relatively extended generally continuous cam 8. In a hood latch, a latch body compris-l ing a one-piece longitudinally seained tube' and a cam member extending from the side oi said tube, said cam member comprising a pair of opposed lugs outwardly extending from the opposed edgesA of thev tube, the outer edges of said lugs being bent to form a relatively extended generally continuous cam surface, one of said lugs being longer than the other and being lapped or bent thereabout. k

9. In a hood latch, a latch body comprising a one-piece longitudinally seained tube and a cam member extending from the side of said tube, said cam. member comprising a pair of opposed lugs outwardly extending from the opposed edges of the tube, and

l means for securing said lugs together.

10. In a hood latch, a latch body comprising a tube, lips outwardly turned from the upper edge of said tube and an end member surrounding said tube and interlocking with said lips, said end member including a hand engaging portion extending from one side` kward'extension to the tube.

18. In a hood latch, a latch body comprising a tubea handle member for the .upper end of said tube, said member including a handle portion and a hood engaging portion and ardownward extension adapted substan-` tially `to surround the upper end of said tube, and securing members outwardly extending from said ytube and interlocking with said end closure member.

14. In a hood latch, a latch body compris inga tube, a handle member for the upper end of said tube, said member including a handle portion and a hood engagingy portion and a downward extensiony about said l tube, securing members outwardly extending from said tube, the downward extension from said handleportiony ,being formed and bent to conform to said tubey beneath said securing members.

15. As a new karticle ofy manufacture, a tubular body, a one piece sheet metal handle member for the upper end'of the body, said member including a handle portion and a hood engaging portion and a flangev downwardly bent and wrapped about the tube, and means for securing it thereto.

16. As a new article of manufacture, a tubular body, a one piece closure for the upper end thereof, said closure including a plurality of flanges downwardly' bent and wrapped about the end of said tube and means for preventing longitudinal movement of said flanges in relation to said tube.

Signed at Chicago county of Cook and 1927. lMELVIN G. BAKER.

State of Illinois, thislOth day of August, 

